A Celebration of Heritage

September 26, 2012

SHENANDOAH JUNCTION - The Mountain Heritage Arts and Crafts Festival showcases some of the best artisans up and down the East Coast. This weekend, approximately 190 of them will encompass the grounds with their food, products and demonstrations. Entertainment includes bluegrass bands Patent Pending, Nothin' Fancy, Hillbilly Gypsies and the Stevens Family from Berkeley Springs. This is the Stevens Family's first appearance at the festival. Children's activities include face painting, balloon animal making, moon bounce and rock climbing walls, and make-and-take craft projects.

Any profits after expenses help support local community projects.

"Our main purpose is to bring tourism to the area and to demonstrate our culture," said Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Heather McIntyre. "The make-and-take projects give the kids something to take home while demonstrating to them how to make a craft. Demonstrations for children and adults show people how things are made, like a bowl being made in front of them. They see things that they normally don't get to see (in our modern world). The festival brings back heritage to a part of our lives."

She said several school groups arrive Friday, the first day of the three-day festival, for demonstrations and activities. One is a scavenger hunt. "They have to go to a potter, for example, to find out where the potter is from and how to make the pottery. It's an educational opportunity."

One tent at the festival that is popular is the tastings tent. Different kinds of dips and other foods can be sampled. Then people can decide what they want to take home. West Virginia Fruit and Berry is a longtime business that contributes to the tastings tent. Foods also include soup mixes and honey. Part of the educational aspect is showing the working bee hive under glass.

McIntyre said it's amazing to her what people can make. She said one participant makes paintings with colored pencils.

One artisan in June formed sports stadiums in 3-D with wood. She said she couldn't get over the one of WVU. Other woodworkers may make chainsaw carvings or furniture.

Artisans and crafters work a variety of media. Wares usually include baskets, metals, pottery, fine arts, photography, flowers, furniture, jewelry and more. Various home decor items and other food items like wine can be found. Four West Virginia wineries will be giving tastings and selling wines.

Many of the artisans and crafters come each year. But McIntyre said the festival likes to add new participants to get a variety. Often they are West Virginia artisans. But some come from far and wide to participate. The festival is juried. A group of judges visits each booth at the festival twice a year and scores them. Possible new participants are asked to submit digital images and information online. In February, applications are gone over and everyone is rated. The final participants are selected.

"Crafters or artisans used to have to bring their wares here for the judges to process and score," McIntyre said. "But that was hard for the ones traveling long distances. With the ability to send digital pictures, they can send them in now."

Another reason for adding new artisans is that some of the longtime participants, she said, are not able to travel to all the shows they used to do. Reasons vary. But one is that some are older, and the younger generation isn't taking up the baton as eagerly as those in the field would like.

She said it's challenging. The younger generation is working at other jobs. So, she believes the festivals need to preserve our heritage and the arts as much as possible.

Entertainment varies each day, too. Hillbilly Gypsies, who attended in 2011 and are back by popular demand, perform Sunday. The Stevens Family and Patent Pending perform both days. Nothin' Fancy performs Saturday.

McIntyre said the festival is a great value for entertainment and shopping. It brings people into the county. They tend to Christmas shop in September and buy apple butter. It helps the local economy because the crafters are staying locally and eating at local restaurants.